China's Week of Forums Highlights How Quickly Things Can Shift

W. Syaban

March 30, 2025

Update:March 30, 2025

This week, at prominent events, ideas about China's ascent and the West's downturn were prevalent; however, in our rapidly evolving world, opinions shift swiftly.

The East is ascending while the West is waning.

This notion, often obliquely referenced by President Xi Jinping, has resonated among Chinese academics, particularly since the return of Donald Trump to the White House. Over the past week, two high-level forums held in China seemed designed to make the case for it.

On Sunday, over 80 leaders from top multinational corporations such as Apple, BMW, and IKEA—as well as heads of major international organizations and renowned global academics—participated in the China Development Forum held in Beijing.

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In the keynote address, Premier Li Qiang delivered a clear thesis In representation of my nation: we ought to collaborate to counteract America's protectionist policies and protect globalization.

Shortly thereafter, numerous participants at this forum boarded flights heading south to the tropical island province of Hainan, where they were set to engage in further discussions. During the Boao Forum for Asia, they expressed their confidence in China’s increasing influence on the world stage and voiced their concerns over America's withdrawal from international organizations.

The individual mentioned was Ian Goldin, an economist from Oxford University, who attended events both in Beijing and Boao. He stated, "Attendees are no longer keen on going to conferences in the U.S. due to Trump’s policies. There have been problems with visa processes, and individuals face interrogations when crossing borders."

While the US has focused on building barriers, China has remained more receptive; it has made visa-free entry easier For most foreigners, and with the significant global participation at the two forums, it demonstrated that this policy has yielded some positive outcomes.

"I have visited China numerous times, but this is the first occasion where I only needed to present my passport," stated John Keane, who teaches politics at the University of Sydney.

Prior to arriving in Boao, Keane penned two articles for the Post. One of them expressed assurance regarding the increasing prominence of the globe's second-biggest economic power - and acknowledged the US for facilitating this growth.

Due to the actions of the United States, from a technical standpoint, China is not just considered a 'nation' or a 'major power,'" he stated. "'It is now emerging as an empire.'

However, it may still be premature for China to rejoice. Based on recent trends, abrupt and significant turnarounds have turned into an everyday occurrence.

I vividly recall an analogous occurrence about two and a half years back during a Milken Institute conference held in Singapore. What stood out to me most were the key takeaways from the panel discussions, which indicated that China was essentially being dismissed by much of the global community—back then, the nation remained somewhat isolated within its own borders. zero-Covid policy , despite nearly all other places reopening their borders.

As such, the atmosphere at these gatherings wasn’t completely victorious. In a discussion held in Boao on Thursday, Takahiko Nakao, who formerly led the Asian Development Bank, stated that although he holds respect for China and appreciates various facets of its progress, this doesn’t imply that the nation hasn’t committed errors along the way.

There's significant hostility toward China... I wish this would shift. Much of it seems misdirected to me, yet it persists.

Ian Goldin, Oxford University

He suggested that China ought to adopt greater humility and avoid proclaiming itself as representative of a new global order to the international community. Instead, it could express its stance with more restraint.

As resentment against the U.S. administration grows across the rest of the Western world, unfavorable opinions about China remain stable. deeply rooted there .

Therefore, according to Goldin, the foreign CEOs and academics who decide to visit China and voice their opinions now can be considered "courageous," as they face criticism upon returning home.

There is significant anti-Chinese sentiment in the United States. This feeling is both intense and widespread," he stated. "The situation is similar in Europe, though somewhat less pronounced. I am hopeful this will change; much of it seems misdirected, yet remains prevalent.

Goldin stated that one way for Beijing to enhance its reputation would be to tackle certain persistent issues head-on or rectify the adverse perceptions that people in the Western world have regarding China.

I would argue that individuals in the United States have significant responsibilities, but those in China also bear certain duties. Throughout these matters, China isn’t merely an inactive participant. For instance, China has the ability to implement policies such as visa waivers, which might seem purely procedural yet significantly impact how others perceive them.